Al-Zidi opens lines of communication with the blocs to finalize the remaining ministerial portfolios in his cabinet.
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Baghdad
MP Amer Al-Fayez, a leader in the Coordination Framework, confirmed on Saturday that the framework authorized Prime Minister Ali Al-Zidi to make contacts with the heads of the political blocs and entities participating in the government, whose candidates for the vacant ministries have not yet been decided.
Al-Fayez told Shafaq News Agency, “Al-Zidi is trying to reach an agreement with the blocs first on choosing the appropriate minister nominated by the bloc, and after being convinced of the candidates, he will present their names Read more…
Arrest warrants issued against 3 prominent leaders in Al-Halbousi’s party
6-13-2026
Al-Maalomah/Anbar…
A responsible source in Anbar province reported on Saturday that arrest warrants have been issued for three prominent leaders of the Progress Party, on charges of corruption and financial extortion during their tenure in leadership positions.
The source told Al-Maalomah that “the arrest warrants came after the three individuals were accused of illegally acquiring large sums of money related to reconstruction and rehabilitation projects for infrastructure damaged by terrorist operations.” The source
added that “investigations also indicate their involvement in money laundering, extortion, and bribery,” noting that Read more…
Expert: There is no need for external borrowing, and Iraq possesses a secure financial buffer.
6-13-2026
Information / Baghdad…
Financial expert and former Central Bank board member, Ahmed Barihi, affirmed on Saturday Iraq’s ability to overcome the current financial crisis resulting from declining revenues, thanks to its sufficient cash reserves for extended periods.
Barihi told the Information Agency that “the significant decrease in oil exports due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a sharp decline in the state treasury’s foreign revenues,” adding that “the country is capable of navigating this crisis successfully Read more…
A member of the coordinating framework: The advisors’ crisis is hindering government reform.
6-13-2026
Information / Baghdad…
Zuhair al-Jalabi, a member of the Coordination Framework, criticized the quota system used by the political class in managing state institutions on Saturday, asserting that it has contributed to weakening government performance in several sectors.
Al-Jalabi told Al-Maalouma, “The Prime Minister is facing a crisis regarding advisors, particularly in the economic sphere, due to appointments being based on political quotas rather than competence and experience.”
He added, “A large number of advisors in successive governments lack sufficient experience and were appointed as Read more…
Billions evaporate monthly… How is Iraq coping with the shock of declining oil exports?
6-13-2026
Information / Report…
Recent regional developments and the accompanying turmoil in global energy markets have brought the issue of Iraq’s dependence on oil back to the forefront of economic debate, amid warnings of potential financial repercussions on the general budget and the state’s ability to meet its obligations. Meanwhile, experts assert that current cash reserves still provide a safety net, preventing the crisis from escalating into a full-blown financial collapse. Read more…
Pakistan: US-Iran peace deal to be signed within 24 hours
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Islamabad
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Saturday that Pakistan is preparing to electronically sign the US-Iran peace agreement within 24 hours.
Sharif said in a press statement: “We are closer than ever to a peace agreement and it is likely to be finalized within 24 hours. We are preparing for an electronic signing ceremony for the peace agreement between the United States and Iran as soon as Read more…
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How is the economy being managed? Iraq is without a budget for the fourth time since 2003.
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq is entering an unprecedented financial phase, with increasing indications that the federal budget for 2026 will not be approved, at a time when the country is facing double pressures represented by the decline in oil revenues and the continuation of regional turmoil that has affected the movement of oil exports, which puts the government before the challenge of managing the economy through temporary spending rules for the fourth time since 2003.
Iraq is almost entirely dependent on oil revenues, which constitute Read more…
New York Times: Iran’s Supreme Leader is “comfortable” with the “peace agreement” with America
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – New York
The New York Times revealed on Saturday that Iranian civilian and military intermediaries confirmed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was “comfortable” with the preliminary agreement, but did not confirm that he had signed it directly.
According to a report in the American newspaper, it remains unclear whether Iran will ultimately agree to the American conditions regarding the nuclear program in the next round of negotiations, as well as how quickly those talks will progress.
The newspaper quoted an American official as saying that Iran would not get anything Read more…
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Below $60, Basra crude suffers sharp weekly losses
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Basra
The two Iraqi crudes, Basra Heavy and Basra Medium, suffered significant weekly losses, despite ending their last trading sessions lower, at a time when global oil markets witnessed a broad decline that included Brent crude, West Texas Intermediate and a number of regional and global crudes .
Iraqi Basra Heavy crude oil recorded a decrease of $2.68 in the last trading session, closing at $58.14 per barrel, down 4.41% on a daily basis, while its weekly loss amounted to $11.14, Read more…
Trump halted it: Plan for “forced seizure” of Iranian uranium revealed
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Washington
CNN revealed on Saturday that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Keane, the highest-ranking U.S. general, made a secret and urgent visit to the Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Florida in late May to personally review the military’s plans to send ground troops to Iran with the aim of “forcibly seizing” highly enriched uranium, the key component needed to produce a nuclear weapon.
The network quoted two informed sources as saying that the briefings were so important and sensitive that they Read more…
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The World Bank predicts that Iraq’s economy will contract in 2026, with a deeper decline expected in 2027.
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The World Bank predicted on Saturday that Iraq’s economy would contract by 2.2% in 2026, before declining at a faster pace to 8.9% in 2027, according to the “Global Economic Prospects” report issued in June 2026.
According to the report, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, the Iraqi economy recorded growth of 0.5% in 2024, while it is estimated that it may have contracted by 1.5% during 2025, before continuing to decline in 2026, with a return to growth of 12.2% expected in 2028. Read more…
“The Missing Sovereign Decision”: An Iraqi-German Initiative to Revive Tourism Away from Oil
2026-06-13
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Private Sector Development Council, in cooperation with the German Agency for International Cooperation, held a workshop on Saturday about the tourism sector in Iraq and the geopolitical challenges in the region.
Tourism as a sovereign alternative to the oil economy
Adham Al-Fakhar, the Prime Minister’s Advisor for International Investments, said in a speech during the workshop that “tourism is one of the sovereign indicators of any country as it is one of the important sectors in supporting Read more…
Iraqi Dinar Guru opinions 6-12-2026
6-12-2026 Newshound/Intel Guru Mnt Goat …another hot topic in need of review. It is the printing of more dinars that was recently in the news. So, did or didn’t the CBI print more dinars? Article: “CBI DENIES PRINTING MONEY TO COMBAT FINANCIAL CRISIS” Quote: “The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) on Sunday denied claims that it had printed money to combat the current financial crisis.” …printing more hard currency is inflationary. The higher the mass of currency the lower value for each note…As investors watching for the dinar to revalue, we don’t want inflationary measures as the IMF is watching Iraq closely Read more…
Trump: We may sign the agreement with Iran on Monday
2026-06-12
Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump predicted on Friday evening that an agreement with Iran would be signed by the end of the week or next Monday, noting that Tehran had “secretly apologized” for spreading “false information” about the terms of the agreement.
Trump said, “I still think the agreement could be signed by the end of the week or on Monday,” considering Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi’s statement about the imminent signing Read more…
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Officially, Pakistan announces a “peace agreement” between Washington and Tehran.
2026-06-12
Shafaq News – Islamabad
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday that a final and agreed-upon text of the “peace agreement” between the United States and Iran had been reached.
Sharif stated in a post on the “X” platform, which was followed by Shafaq News Agency, that “amidst the intensive and continuous mediation efforts undertaken by Pakistan, we are fully aware of the ongoing disinformation campaign waged by those who want to sabotage the peace agreement.”
He added: “Away from all the noise, we can confirm that a final and agreed-upon text of the peace agreement has Read more…
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Exclusive from the White House: The terms of the Tehran-Washington agreement differ from the Iranian narrative.
2026-06-12
Shafaq News – Washington/ Mustafa Hashim
The White House on Friday revealed details of what it described as the “core commitments” that Iran agreed to in the recent understanding with the United States, denying the validity of the terms published by the official Iranian news agency IRNA regarding the agreement .
A senior US administration official told Shafaq News Agency that what Iranian media outlets published “does not reflect the reality of what was agreed upon,” considering that the Iranian narrative contains fallacies related to the essence of the understandings concluded Read more…
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Araghchi: Agreement with Washington is “closer than ever”
2026-06-12
Shafaq News – Tehran
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced on Friday that the Islamabad memorandum of understanding is “closer than ever” to implementation, stressing that its details will be shared with the public in due course.
Araqchi stated in a post on the “X” platform, which was followed by Shafaq News Agency: “The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding is closer than ever to being implemented. Until it is finalized, the media should refrain from speculating about its content.” Read more…
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A general malfunction is affecting Instagram and Facebook applications in Iraq.
2026-06-12
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Friday, Instagram and Facebook in Iraq experienced a general malfunction that caused them to shut down.
A number of users in Iraq complained that the two applications suddenly stopped working.
Many accounts registered a sudden logout Read more…
Washington: 7 million barrels of oil were smuggled out of the Strait of Hormuz with US military assistance.
2026-06-12
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced on Friday that 7 million barrels of oil had been released from the Strait of Hormuz with US assistance.
Wright said in a report carried by Reuters that “no Iranian crude oil has left the Strait of Hormuz.”
He added that “about 7 million barrels of oil left the Gulf today with American military assistance.”
US President Donald Trump on Friday denied the validity of what he called “the conditions leaked by Iran” to the Read more…
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Government spokesperson: The Prime Minister will visit America next July.
2026/06/12
Government spokesman Haider Al-Aboudi announced today that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi will pay an official visit to the United States of America during the month of July. Al-Aboudi said in a televised statement followed by Al-Furat News: “There are economic necessities to activate the strategic agreement with the United States,” stressing that “Iraq is not part of regional conflicts and adopts a policy of not allowing its territory to be used to attack any neighboring country.”
He added, “The Iraqi state has not resorted to printing currency or external Read more…
